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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  2. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  3. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  4. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  5. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  6. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  7. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  8. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  9. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  10. What do you think of the new ________________?
  11. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  12. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  13. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  14. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  15. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  16. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  17. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  18. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  19. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  20. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  21. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  22. How do you ________________ your surname?
  23. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  24. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. pit — a hole
  2. kick — with a leg
  3. toast — the most admired
  4. cabinet — a cupboard
  5. kick — in football
  6. bear — the animal
  7. fork — to eat with
  8. bear — to put up with
  9. spell — a short time
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. pit — in a race
  12. fork — a garden tool
  13. vault — an arched ceiling
  14. kick — a thrill
  15. fork — in a road
  16. vault — in gymnastics
  17. bear — the animal
  18. toast — bread
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. toast — a drink to someone
  21. vault — a safe
  22. spell — letters
  23. pit — a fruit stone
  24. spell — magic

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com